I remember the very first time I saw one of these females, a number of years ago when I was just getting into birding, and I was so excited because I thought I'd come across a new kind of Sparrow! They really are beautiful birds, despite the lack of spectacular colour seen in the males. Photographed on June 1st at a local pond. Gloomy, rainy and uninviting out there today.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-winged_Blackbird

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-winged_blackbird/id